RScott Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 I just bought a pair of Klipsch mod.LSBLS LaScalla speakers at at an auction for $50. In great shape, they've been stored since the mid 80's. They were in a school auditorium. I couldn't believe a new set is $3500. What exactly do I have and what kind of amp, receiver or home theater system can I use to drive them that will allow me to control them through my computer sound card? Info on the new ones states 100W continuous, 400W peak at 8ohm. Is this about right? or are the old ones more power hungry? Where can I get owners manuals for them?? My living room is only 20x30 so I don't think I need to drive them to full capacity. I doubt I'll ever add speakers to make a 5.1 system but if I do, what satellite speakers would you recommend to compliment the LaScala's? Or should I just be a purest and buy an old tube amp?? Nah - I'm getting too old and lazy to turn a dial, slide a slide or switch a switch anymore, it's gotta be a mouse.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schu Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 that is a great buy...that's all you need to know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Oshiro Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 I just bought a pair of Klipsch mod.LSBLS LaScalla speakers at at an auction for $50. Amazing deal. Welcome to the forum. <snip>what kind of amp, receiver or home theater system can I use to drive them that will allow me to control them through my computer sound card?...My living room is only 20x30 so I don't think I need to drive them to full capacity.<snip> About the amp... The LaScala sensitivity spec is 105 dB-SPL, 1 Watt input at a distance of 1 Meter. Let's say you place the speakers 5 meters (16.4 feet) apart and the speakers and the listening position form the default (for me, anyway) equilateral triangle in plan view. So the speaker-to-listener distance is also 5 meters. The attenuation due to distance will be 20*log10(5/1)=14 dB, so 1 Watt into one speaker will be 105-14=91 dB at the listeining position. Since there are two speakers with different signals driving each speaker, we have power addition of 2 equal level sources: Add 10*log10(2) = 3 dB. Now we have 91 + 3 =94 dB at the listening position for 1 Watt into each speaker. Live music has peaks that are about 20 dB higher than the average level. Average level is what we measure with a typical Sound Level meter. This corresponds to a power ratio of 10^(20/10)=100. So in order to get all the peaks, we need 100 Watts of *peak* amplifier power. Power amps are rated with a sine wave, which has peaks 3 dB higher than average level. This is a power ratio of 10^(3/10)=2, so an amplifier rated at 100/2 = 50 Watts is what we need for super-clean audio at a level of 94 dB at the listening position. Now... If we turn things up so that we are asking the amplifier to deliver more power than it can cleanly deliver, the positive and negative peaks of the waveform will get chopped off, or "clipped". It turns out that human hearing can tolerate some short duration clipping, so we can make it louder and still be happy with the sound quality. How much louder is open to debate. YMMV. In the commercial audio world, the rule of thumb is: Power amp rating = 10*(power required for desired average SPL). 10 Watts for the current setup. I occasionally listen at 100 dB. At these levels, I'm concerned with emotional impact more than cleanliness. I expect I'm clipping my amps. This level would require a 200 Watt amplifier in the current setup, assuming we don't want to clip the amps. Most of the time I listen at about 90 dB, which means a 20 Watt amp would be adequate. So... How loud and how clean does your sound need to be? I would recommend an external audio interface for the computer. Internal sound cards tend to have lots of computer interference noise *which you will hear* with speakers as sensitive as the LaScalas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RScott Posted June 2, 2012 Author Share Posted June 2, 2012 Thanks so much for the quick reply Greg,... It will take me a while to assimilate all of your info, I'm a complete noob but it's time to get educated.... I'm a 60 year old farmer/rancher who is a little tractor deaf... I figured these speakers would be cheaper than a hearing aide. LOL... I like my music loud and I live in the middle of nowhere so no neighbors to complain.... I like chest pounding base and crisp midrange but I can't even hear in the tweeter range. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptnBob Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 You really don't need that much power for LaScalas, especially if you listen inside a building. I used to fill a 1,200 theater with two LaScalas and a 40 wpc tube amp. Great deal! You might want to check the tweeters, even though you think you can't hear them. The K-77s are the most vulnerable speaker in the LaScalas, and, coming from a school setting, odds are good they have been overdriven. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rebreg Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 congrads on you new to you speakers.......make those speakers work the way you want them to. enjoy.....rebreg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mustang guy Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 congrads on you new to you speakers.......make those speakers work the way you want them to. enjoy.....rebreg Welcome! Great find! They should make a TV show about you. [] If you wanna make a quick buck, lists these babies in the Garage sale forum here. This is the most active Klipsch resale venue on the web, especially for Hertiage stuff like the LS. Make it a good day, Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LousyTourist Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 $50 for LaScalas.... wow. That is about 10x less than the lowest I've heard trashed versions go for. You surely won't need (or want) a 100 watt receiver to run them. Certainly not the 100 watt receivers you buy at the Best Buy or equivalent stores. The kind you need to put a brick on so they don't float off the shelf. Hard to believe something that light weight has 100 of anything in it. Find a vintage receiver of the same era, a 30 to 50 watt variety will be MORE than enough to finish destroying your hearing. In fact, if you can listen to those speakers for any length of time with 1 watt running through them, I'll come out there and shake your hand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rebreg Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 now the pioneer sx1010 thats a real floater Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rebreg Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 now the pioneer sx1010 thats a real floater.lol.enjoy those speakers and find what works best to get them to sing for you.....not just tickle them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RScott Posted June 7, 2012 Author Share Posted June 7, 2012 Well, I decided to keep it simple ............. . I bought a 1974 Marantz 16a stereo amp from a friend delighted to see it matched to the LaScala's. . To get my wish of a mouse controlled preamp, receiver, tuner, I've purchased an ASUS Xonar stereo card (It's not your typical sound card) to replace my SoundBlaster 7.1 surround card. http://www.asus.com/Multimedia/Audio_Cards/Xonar_Essence_STX/#specifications. . While I'm waiting for the new card to arrive I'm refinishing the cabinets and installing casters under the monsters so I can move them around. Does anyone know of a source for new replacement grilles, NOS or grille material suitable for my old LaScala's?? . Thanks for your help and suggestions to ALL..... . Anymore suggestions or comments would be appreciated. . RScott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Robin Posted June 7, 2012 Share Posted June 7, 2012 Great deal on the LaScala's. Room placement makes a big difference in their sound. In the corners would be best if possible, if along a flat wall; toe them in to the listening position. Give them room to breath pull them out about a foot from the wall where ever they are positioned. Bill Go HOGS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LousyTourist Posted June 7, 2012 Share Posted June 7, 2012 Well, I decided to keep it simple ............. . I bought a 1974 Marantz 16a stereo amp from a friend delighted to see it matched to the LaScala's. . While I'm waiting for the new card to arrive I'm refinishing the cabinets and installing casters under the monsters so I can move them around. RScott Good choice on the receiver. Casters, on the other hand, may not be the best idea. You may want to experiment with how the speakers sound while on casters versus sitting directly on the floor. I know the slightest gap between the floor and my Klipschorns decreases bass output. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joshnich Posted June 7, 2012 Share Posted June 7, 2012 Not sure if you have listened to them yet....If these were used at a school for pa you might want to check to make sure the tweeters are not blown. Pretty common with all heritage klipsch and no doubt if they were used at a school I can image that they have been turned up pretty loud at some point! Stick a towel in the mid horn and its easier to tell if the tweeter is working. Replacement diaphrams can be sourced and replaced very easily. Bob Crites (search the forum) is a great source for the tweeter diaphrams btw. Additionally depending on how old the speakers are a network refresh may be in order. Many options and opinions on the best way to go on the networks. Again search the forum and have fun! Josh Josh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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